The Story Of Sarelle: The Immortal Years »

Chapter 6

It was quiet when I returned home, a still silence that told me something had changed. I could sense that I wasn't alone but as I climbed the stairs to my room I wondered why they chose to remain in their rooms.

As I dropped my bag on the bed and sat breathing in the smell of home I felt them all converge towards me.

I looked up as there was a knock on the door and saw the three females of the original Denali coven watching me in trepidation. At the front and centre of the trio was Tanya who clutched a bundle in her hand and two old books pressed to her chest.

"Welcome home." Kate smiled as I waved them in.

"Why is it so quiet here? I know I wasn't gone for long but a little recognition that I'm back would be nice." I joked as they each reached forward to hug me and Tanya glanced at the items she had carried in.

"Sorry, you know we've missed you, but there was something we wanted to talk to you about before the banners and balloons," Tanya explained as Kate and Carmen exchanged looks.

"While you were gone, we talked with the Cullens, and well, Rosalie let something slip." I watched as Tanya pushed the two large albums towards me.

"These are yours, chica," Carmen said softly, and I brushed the leather surface and reached to peel open one of the albums. As I did I smiled at the small square picture in front of me. The Masens, 1905, I read under the black and white print before looking to the photo next to it and seeing Casey and me in the photo that had been taken by the hairdresser in Florida. I ran my finger lightly over the image of my younger self, the happiness in my eyes.

"Where did you find these?" I wondered as I continued to look through the photos.

"The Cullens had them. There are these two photo albums, a camera, some clothes, trinkets, a couple of diaries, and a sketchbook. Apparently it was all left behind with them in March 2006 when you..." Kate stopped talked and looked to Tanya.

"You know everything, don't you," I murmured as I looked at the three of them.

"We only know what we've been told. We haven't looked at any of this. We weren't sure if you would want us to," Tanya explained.

"They all thought you had been killed by the Volturi, for all these years. Did you really escape?" Carmen asked as she touched a comforting hand to my back.

A waft of Eleazar's scent made me look up, and I saw him standing in the doorway, his eyes set on me as he brought me courage.

"No, not exactly," I whispered as I gave the three women an apologetic look.

"Oh, mi señor. Usted novia pobres." Carmen comforted.

"I'm sorry to lie to you, but I didn't want to place you in danger. If Aro was to ever find me and he found out that you knew all along...I didn't want to put you under that risk."

"So the Cullens were right to believe that this happened to you when you were in Volterra." Kate interpreted and I nodded.

"Did you know of this, Eleazar?" Carmen asked her husband with disbelief.

"Sarelle and I had met on an occasion once before, an event I'm sure will be bitterly documented in that diary of hers." Eleazar smiled and I grinned as I nodded.

"Yes I wasn't particularly nice about you." I searched behind Eleazar for Garrett but I couldn't see or smell him anywhere. "Where's Garrett?"

"He's at the Cullens' house. He offered to call if any left the house, just in case. I assumed you would prefer the Cullens to remain in the dark on the method of your turning." Tanya clarified as she watched with steady eyes.